Upgrade my MacPro? Your best shot! Please.

[Reality4711]

Hello,

I have almost reached perfection with my setup (at least for now ;-))

It is as follows:- Running at 64bit, MacPro 3.2 Octo - 16Gb Ram - 8800GT - GPU - 30"&23" displays
160GB Intel boot drive, 1Gb WD Black HD (outer 100Gb as scratch & inner is iTunes store), 2x 500 Gb Hitachi in Raid 0 for Photoshop working files.
2Gb external HD on 800 fw for Time machine.

The images I work on by and large and the workflow I employ mean this set up is at 100% efficiency most of the time and rarely uses the scratch disc remembering that PS can use roughly 10Gb of my ram at 64bit.

Slight frustrations remaining are :- Waiting for raid pair to spin up when I call for a new image from my working library. Noise. (I am a bit sensitive in this department - airport and backups are in another room). Finally, it would be really good to see the back of the scratch word from this mans machine. ;-0 ;-)

Question. Which of the following or other of your choice would finally rid me of the only slight frustrations that remain.

1/ Keep SSD boot and replace ram 32Gb and replace working library with SSD raid and put iTune in other room

2/ Keep SSD boot, add 2x32 Gb SSD raid in Optical bay as scratch and leave Ram at 16 Gb with SSD library and iTunes as above

3/ Finally, 2x160Gb SSD raid as boot in optical tray, 3x160Gb SSD raid as library and no scratch. iTune next door.

I want the speed bump and the quietness but throwing ££££££££ at it is not sensible at this time. So a cost effective solution to give me peace glorious peace inside my head and in my work room.

All suggestions gratefully received. Many Thanks

 

[ValSalva]

Wow, you've got quite a machine there. It must be a beast in the performance department. Just one question: where do you think all the bothersome noise is coming from. I too hate noisy computers. Is it from the hard drives?

 

[Reality4711]

Noise

Wow, you've got quite a machine there. It must be a beast in the performance department. Just one question: where do you think all the bothersome noise is coming from. I too hate noisy computers. Is it from the hard drives?

Yes is the answer, but also the added cooling needed for the ram (Max Upgrades set up) which I would hope to remove if the 32GB ram option works OK.

It is the small speed differentials between the options that are perplexing me. So some guidance is needed on that.

Some of the articles/posts I have read leave me more confused than when I start them so it is a plain speaking response that would be received with blinding gratitude.

 

[dknightd]

Slight frustrations remaining are :- Waiting for raid pair to spin up when I call for a new image from my working library. Noise.

You could tell the disks not to spin down (or set them to spin down less often). This way no waiting for spinup, and it might help with noise since a starting disk is sometimes louder than a spinning disk.

 

[snberk103]

For noise: Wait for Intel and Apple to release Light Peak enabled systems. Then you put the entire set-up in the room next door, and run a LP cable to your desk for the keyboard, mouse, monitors, and probably optical drive.

Seriously, I have no suggestions. Sounds like you have pretty well tuned as it is. I'm assuming you are familiar with MacPerformanceGuide?

Interesting to see where this thread goes. Good Luck.